In his closing argument, Broyles said district efforts to remove possibly religious language from classes was confirmation that religion was there in the first place.

“The names of some of the poses were changed,” he said. “Big deal. They stopped using some of the Sanskrit terms. Big deal. They stopped posting the Ashtanga tree on the wall. While that was concerning, it doesn’t fundamentally change what they taught.”

“We expressed our concern again after hearing about our 7-year-old daughter at class talking about Sanskrit names for her limbs that she was taught in school,” said Stephen Sedlock, who, along with his wife, is suing the school district.

David Miyashiro, the district’s assistant superintendent for education, said he instituted a yoga program at Paul Ecke Central Elementary School three years ago when he filled in for a principal on maternity leave. He said the school needed another enrichment program, and it proved popular with the kids.

“It was active, engaging,” Miyashiro said. “The kids came home and talked about it.”

Superintendent Timothy Baird testified at trial that parents are allowed to opt out of yoga, but the children of those who do will receive less PE time than participating students. However, they will still receive at least the state-required minimum of PE minutes, he said.

In an elementary school classroom with an American flag draped over one wall, a couple dozen students rose to standing positions. Then they shifted into poses called “volcano part one,” “silent gorilla,” and “rag doll.”

Some students may not realize it, but the semiweekly, half-hour course might be gone by the time they return in the fall.

In this upscale, seaside suburb just north of San Diego, parents have filed a lawsuit arguing the Encinitas Union School District should do away with the yoga elective because the discipline is inherently religious, and the teaching of it in the public schools violates the First Amendment.

Parents object to “religious nature” of yoga instruction in public schools.

Trial was set to resume Monday in the case of a couple who sued the Encinitas Union School District to stop yoga instruction, which they contend has religious overtones.

The lawsuit was filed by the National Center for Law and Policy on behalf of Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock, whose children attend one of the district’s nine schools. On its website, the nonprofit Christian-based center said it focuses on the protection and promotion of religious freedom, the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, parental rights and other civil liberties.

ENCINITAS — A lawsuit calling for the end of school yoga classes on the basis that they violate the separation of church and state resumed in court Monday. The yoga program’s architect, the last witness in the trial, took the stand.

David Miyashiro, assistant superintendent of education services for the Encinitas Union School District (EUSD), crafted the yoga program less than a year ago with input from a curriculum writer…

Miyashiro testified that the grant agreement between the foundation and EUSD initially specified that the Jois Foundation train the yoga teachers. But in reality, the Jois Foundation didn’t coach the 10 instructors who were ultimately hired. He added the Jois Foundation had little influence over the curriculum.

ENCINITAS, Calif. – Testimony concluded Monday in the case of a couple who sued the Encinitas Union School District to stop yoga instruction, which they contend has religious overtones.

The lawsuit was filed by the National Center for Law and Policy on behalf of Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock, whose children attend one of the district’s nine schools. On its website, the nonprofit Christianity-based center said its focuses on the protection and promotion of religious freedom, the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, parental rights and other civil liberties.

The plaintiffs contend that Ashtanga yoga is religious in nature, and that opting out costs students physical education time. They are not seeking any money, only an end to the yoga program.